Geshe Thupten Phelgye to speak about the nonviolent activism during presentation at North Idaho College

The Buddhist Channel, Oct 9, 2008

Idaho, USA -- The venerable Geshe Thupten Phelgye will speak about “A Commitment to Nonviolent Activism” at noon Tuesday, Oct. 14 in the Molstead Library Todd Hall, on North Idaho College’s main campus.

Phelgye was born in Tibetís Yufuk, near the River Yuchu of the present day the Riwoche District, in 1956. He fled with his family to India in 1959 and his journey to safety in India took more than two years due to the Chinese invasion of Tibet.

Phelgye became a monk at the age of 17 and completed the vigorous 18-year course of traditional studies in Buddhist Philosophy that earned him the title Geshe ( Ph.D. ) from Sera Monastic University in 1991. He completed advanced studies in Buddhist Tantric Tradition at Gyumeh Monastery. Phelgye began a strenuous five-year meditation retreat in the mountains in 1993.

From the time he was a monastery student, Phelgye dedicated his life to serving poor and sick people. With the blessing of the Dalai Lama, Phelgye also established the Universal Compassion Movement organization in 1998, which advocates vegetarianism and compassion for animals.

In 1999, Phelgye was elected the first president of the International Gelug Society and passed a resolution on vegetarian diet in Gelug monasteries and nunneries.

In 2001, Phelgye was elected as a member of the Tibetan Parliament In-Exile, representing the Gelug Sect of Tibetan Buddhism. Last year he successfully passed a bill in the parliament to encourage vegetarianism in the Tibetan community.

Every year, Phelgye speaks at various venues around the world advocating universal compassion.

The presentation is sponsored by the NIC Diversity Events Committee and Coeur díAlene Dharma Friends.